Gravity flashlight switch



A. E. PRINGLE 2,426,373

GRAVITY FLASHLIGHT SWITCH Filed Sept. 28, 1943 Aug. 26, 1947.

m1 w Z 4Z0 ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 26, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRAVITY FLASHLIGHT SWITCH Artoleon E. Pringle, Gloversville, N. Y.

Application September 28, 1943, Serial No. 504,190

3 Claims.

My invention relates to flashlights, and has among its objects and advantages the provision of an improved gravity switch which maintains a closed circuit so long as the conventional flashlight battery switch remains closed and the flashlight is pointed downwardly, but in which the gravity switch actuates to break the circuit as the flashlight is being brought to the horizontal or an upright position.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a partial sectional view of a conventional flashlight illustrating my gravity switch incorporated therein at the bulb end of the flashlight;

Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating the gravity switch incorporated in the opposite end of the flashlight case;

Figure 3 is a face view of the gravity switch with a portion broken away for the purpose of illustration; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken along the line 44 of Figure 3.

In the embodiment selected for illustration, Figure 4 illustrates a body It} of insulative material and of such diameter as to have a snug fit inside the grip or cell-containing case l2 of the flashlight to provide frictional resistance against displacement. This body is provided with a tapered bore l4 converging and merging into a straight bore [6 communicating with a smaller bore IS. The tapered bore I4 intersects the face 23 of the body It while the small bore l8 intersects the opposite face 22.

Inside the bores l4 and I6 is housed a substantially free weight 24 having a contact 261 projecting through the bore l8 and of considerably smaller diameter than this bore. The

weight 24 is circular in cross section and of 7 smaller diameter than the bore l6, and the contact 26 is formed with a bolt 28 extending through the weight and provided with a nut 3i! for securing one end of a conductor wire 32 between the nut and the bottom face 34 of a recess 36 in the end of the weight 24 opposite the contact 25. This conductor is connected with a contact plate 38 secured to the face 20 by screws 46.

In operation, the body ll! may be incorporated in either end of the case 12. When arranged according to Figure 1, the contact 26 is adapted to engage the central terminal 42 of the flashlight lamp when the flashlight is tipped downwardly. In the position of Figure 2, the contact 26 has engagement with the end 44 of the battery 46 when the flashlight is tipped downwardly. With the flashlight pointed downwardly, the weight 24 drops in the bores l4 and Hi to bring the contact 26 into engagement with the lamp or the battery to close the circuit, assuming, of course, that the usual switch of the flashlight is closed. As the flashlight is turned and approaches the horizontal, the weight 24 falls against the side face of the bore [4, which causes the weight to rock on the flange 48 and swing the contact 26 out of engagement with the flashlight lamp or the bat tery. Since the conductor wire 32 offers little if any resistance to movement of the weight 24, the weight drops in the vertical position of the flashlight to maintain an open circuit. Thus the flashlight circuit is broken wheneve the flashlight is turned to a position approximating the horizontal and in all upright positions.

In the arrangement of Figure 1, the contact plate 38 has engagement with the battery terminal 5! while in Figure 2 the contact plate has engagement with the usual spring 52. An annular groove 54 is provided in one end of the body ID to provide accommodation for the usual paper tube on the dr cell. It frequently happens that the paper tube shifts on the cell, and the groove provides clearance for the end of the tube projecting beyond the cell. The location of the groove of Figure 4 accommodates the installation arrangement of Figure 2. In an installation according to Figure 1, the groove 54 is provided in the opposite end of the body ll].

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will 7 so fully illustrate my invention, that others may,

by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions or service.

I claim:

1. In a flashlight, the combination of first and second contacts, a hollow switch body having tapered inner walls and having a third contact electrically connected to said first contact, a gravity responsive switch element comprising said first contact wh ch is mounted within and is guided for movement by the tapered inner walls of said hollow switch body, said gravity responsive switch element having a circular cross-section, a flat base and a rounded top, said switch element being arranged to engage the second contact when the flashlight is tipped downwardly for electrically bridging said first and second contacts to maintain a closed flashlight circuit, but shifting when the flashlight is tipped toward the horizontal, and to all upright positions, to mOVe out of engagement with said second contact.

2. The invention described in claim 1 wherein said switch body is provided with an opening in its base and an annular flange about the opening, said switch element resting on said flange in one position and having a, contact projecting loosely through the opening defined by said flange, and an annular shoulder on said switch element arranged to rock on said flange when the flashlight is moved toward the horizontal for pivoting the switch element out of engagement with said second contact.

3. The invention described in claim 1 wherein said body is of insulating material and said hollow interior is formed by a first bore and a second bore communicating therewith but of diminishing diameter in the direction of the first bore, and an annular flange on said body providing an opening communicating with the first bore, said switch element having a projection extending loosely through said opening, and the shoulder of the switch element rocking on said flange when the 4 flashlight is tipped toward the horizontal for pivoting said extension out of engagement with said second contact.

ARTOLEON E. PRINGLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,064,827 Gardner Dec. 22, 1936 1,971,585 Soreng Aug. 28, 1934 1,959,835 Meginniss May 22, 1934 2,167,756 Hobbs Aug. 1, 1939 2,347,531 Yardeny Apr. 25, 1944 2,347,532 Yardeny Apr. 25, 1944 

